Teach42

I do like the idea of blogging cohorts. I mentioned to Lona not to write for the purpose of getting feedback. Just learn all you can and reflect on it, and the responses will come. If I wrote simply to get a response, I wouldn’t have written half as much as I have.

On the other hand, let’s face it. This is supposed to be a social activity. I want to hear what others think about my thoughts. For new bloggers who are trying to find their voices, I think that a bloggers support group would be a great idea. At the same time, I think it is up to the blogger to go out and mix it up with other bloggers to create their own network. It’s like you mentioned in your post earlier today.

Could it be as easy as developing a specialized del.icio.us tag such as supportedublognewbies for people to “join” if they want to get that kind of feedback? This tag would have to be shared across “our network.” Hmm.

Clarification…I mentioned that this was like what you mentioned earlier in your blog today. I was referring to the idea of helping -vs- helping too much. How much of this should be just the work of individuals creating their own network, and how much of it should be me providing the network?

I agree. It can be a very lonely experience when you first blog. You wonder if what you do is for anyone other than yourself. Nothing makes my day like someone commenting on my blog. I’d be in hog heaven (wonder what’s it’s really like in hog heaven? Mud as far as the eye can see? Bottomless slop troughs?)if someone just said, “Uh, sorry, I must have dialed the wrong blog.” Or, “You make no sense, you suck!” OK, well, maybe not hog heaven for a ‘you suck’, but close. Real close.
But then, I often don’t reply to some blogs, as I have a very small circle of blogger folks, so I don’t appear like a stalker, or someone with no more life than I seem to not have already.

Interesting thoughts.

Two things I’ve learned…

1) The more I comment on others’ blogs, the more readers I tend to get, because
2) Whenever anybody comments on my blog, I check their blog (and usually subscribe to it for some time)

Give, get, give, get. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Another related piece…don’t be shy about sending a “back channel” email once in a while. :o) While public blogging is fun, it’s also interesting when things get a little personal once in a while.

John,

What’s a “back channel” email?

As a new (very new blogger), I know I’d like to have more feedback on my blog. I can’t get any of my friends to read my blog because I’m writing it English (not my primary language). It’s more than just feeling that someone out there is reading you. It’s more as Brian said a desire to see other’s ideas and opinions on the issues or events I blog about. As a beginner, I guess I’m also looking for advice on topics, my writing, what is relevant or what is just useless rants… I probably would have suscribed to a ’support group’ if it had existed.